I shouted at the pharmacy staff today and I feel really shit about it

[lboogy]

I went to boots to buy some lemsip and calpol for me D.C. and DH who are sick with cold.

The rule about not selling more than 2 paracetamol items applies. I've got 2 packs of lemsip, calpol and one pack of cold and flu tablets. Fine. In the past the staff just do 2 transactions.

I get to the till which is long. They call another member of staff to help out. Lady on the beauty counter tells me to come to her for service. Scans the calpol and lemsip and says I can't buy anything else since I've exceeded my 2 paracetamol limit. I said just split the transaction in 2. She says no she can't do that. If I want more than 2, I need to go to the pharmacy. I said if I left the store or even left the queue and came back I'd be able to buy those items again. She's like, I don't make the rules.

Fuming, I walk to the pharmacy. Pharmacist isn't there. Waited for 7 minutes. Even more annoyed I go back to the original queue. New staff says can't buy more than 2. I politely asked her to do 2 transactions. Nope, can't do she says. Before I know it, I'm shouting at her about this ridiculous rule and how I've now been in 3 different queues / tills trying to buy some bloody lemsip.

Anyway, she refuses to serve me. Walks off😡

Now new staff at the till: I said I'll pay for these 2 lemsip and re queue. I paid and walked back to the pharmacy with my 2 other lemsips where the pharmacist or possibly manager is serving. She said she was really sorry the staff are allowed to split the transaction. She doesn't know why they didn't. At this point I started crying - I guess being ill and the stupid staff not using their brain plus finally being validated set me off.

Anyway, now I'm gone and I feel really shit for shouting at the staff. I remember being on the texting end of terrible customers and it's awful. I want to go back and apologise to the staff member but at the same time I'm pissed that 3 different people lacked the ability to use their brain over some bloody lemsip!

Oh ffs of course a GP can issue more they know what it’s for and can clearly set appropriate dosage!
Just 2 or 3 tablets above the recommended maximum dosage over a week can cause an overdose and even death
The OP was buying lemsip and cold and flu tablets if both contain it and she took max dosages of both it could be dangerous
In fact the issue should be the transaction side was focused on not that she was buying two medications that taken together could cause an overdose
We have a habit I think of thinking that because these drugs are readily available they are not dangerous but aspirin (look st Dick Van Dykes granddaughter) and paracetamol are just as potentially dangerous as those we ban

You still can't admit you are wrong. I hope they ban you from the shop your attitude is vile.

Do the shop a favour and don’t go back

Kummerspeck has it spot on

You are wrong for several reasons:

1. Pharmacists are allowed to sell larger quantities of paracetamol and medicines containing it than other staff.
2. Pharmacy rules DO NOT allow splitting transactions and the store could be prosecuted for doing that
3. Deaths from paracetamol numbers have reduced dramatically since these rules came in, ridiculous or not.
4. It is never OK to be rude to people trying to just do their job. Pharmacy is a hard area to work in with very low satisfaction rates among staff, in part due to the rudeness they face regularly from customers.

Do go back and apologise. It may not make things better but it might and you will probably need to go there again

^italics fail*

appreciate staff may have thought I was a mystery shopper hence refusing a split transaction

Er, no, they probably just thought you were a petulant dick having a tantrum and didn’t split the transaction because they weren’t allowed to.

And now I go to fuck right off

Interesting the people who quote “Europe” as being more relaxed in this. In France sales of all medications are much more restrictive. No medications can be sold outside a pharmacy- you can’t just put a packet of paracetamol in your trolley at the supermarket. You can’t even buy seasickness tablets on a French overnight ferry. You have to go to a pharmacy and ask for it at a counter- so if you can buy 50x1g tablets there then that’s exactly the same as the UK rules of 100x500mg over the counter with a pharmacist present. Medications are also a lot more expensive, a pack of paracetamol will be few euros, rather than the few pence they are in the UK. I don’t know about other countries in Europe but the UK are definitely not the most nannyish when it comes to medication sales.

This is the dumbest rule there ever was. If someone wanted to top themselves all they need do is visit a number of outlets and buy more. In the US they have no such nanny-state rules. You can buy enormous jars of them. I have patients who are on regular paracetamol (four doses daily) which the GP will not prescribe and this forces them to trek round several pharmacies on endless excursions as the boxes they sell are tiny. It's an utter nonsense.

This is the dumbest rule there ever was. If someone wanted to top themselves all they need do is visit a number of outlets and buy more.

FFS have you read the thread? The rule has reduced the number of deaths from paracetamol overdoses significantly. How is that 'dumb'?

the rest of you...can fuck right off

Yes OP you are incredibly placid

@Hazza000
It's not a dumb rule - it has a proven positive outcome, with studies showing results very quickly after the rule change www.nhs.uk/news/medication/smaller-paracetamol-packs-may-have-reduced-deaths/
It's not just people overdosing on purpose, it's accidental too. It's a public health issue because paracetamol can be very toxic and can have irreversible effects on people (death /liver failure) the medical community welcomed the move
Even if you don't believe you should 'interfere' in people's lives it has a positive effect on NHS treatment costs due to the huge reduction in cases

Its not just about people who want to top themselves its about accidental overdose. You only need a few over the stated dose to get liver failure.

@hazza000 not its not only designed to stop deliberate overdoses but those that decide to take lemsip alongside other medications also containing it doing so for a long period and therefore accidentally overdosing

Its has reduced this through the NHS so has saved money for once without costing much

It is a fine enough rule and one I understand. Perhaps in future you could stock up slowly - I mean buy stuff one day and the next day you are in a chemist /poundland who I believe stock this stuff you can buy some more. I would have thought if you had children it would be best to have a stock in anyway.

I rarely buy painkillers etc but do occasionally buy paracetamol/whatever from Poundland or whatever supermarket has them cheap and occasionally get Lemsip too - though I hardly ever get a cold (got too many other ailments though!!!)

Ah all ok I accept then that for accidental overdoses this rule has been a force for good. However - for those needing regular doses daily long-term it should not be impossible for the GP to prescribe these - therefore bigger boxes. But most of the time they won't. Frustrating for that demographic.

Those with constructive comments thanks.

The rest of you ... can fuck right off

Ahhh, yes OP that explains it.

You act like a 2 year old when you don't get your own way.

Maybe grow the fuck up 🤷‍♀️

Hazza in that case larger quantities can be bought over the counter at a pharmacy- up to 100 tablets.

Lemsip is expensive paracetamol.
I always keep paracetamol in my medicine cupboard, honey in the kitchen and a bag of frozen sliced lemons in my freezer.
When I had small children I kept generic brand liquid paracetamol in the medicine cuoboard too.
It is worth keeping a supply so you don't have this situation when you are ill.
Hope everyone is feeling better now OP.

@Hazza000... if you had much insight into US culture around medication, you might not see American rules on drugs or consumer safety as something we should aspire to. Public safety is too often secondary to profit.

As annoying as it is the rules exist.
And staff have to abide by them it`s their job and lively hood.
It would have been quicker and easier to go to another store rather than going from queue to queue and ranting at them.
When your feeling better I would go back and apologise.

It’s an awful lot of fuss to make about a cold. Make some honey and lemon and it’ll be gone in a few days.

Or, you know, have a tantrum then tell people on the internet to fuck off.

@Hazza000 GP should still be able to prescribe what they want they are not included in it. Simply because they know what safe prescribing is and tell the patients that
The fact you know some who aren’t is nothing to do with this rule
Pharmacists can as well as they have the required training

I work in retail and have to deal with my fair share of arseholes.....i bite back though and will give as good as i get....if you'd got me op i guarantee you'd have left feeling more upset than me !!!

GPs can prescribe paracetamol. The reason they don’t is cost.

www.england.nhs.uk/2017/11/prescription-curbs-to-free-up-hundreds-of-millions-of-pounds-for-frontline-care/